Aeroplane.



IVI. E. CLARK.

f AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5. 1912.

Elglz@ Patente@ May 25:9 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHUI` l.

mamey IVI. E. CLARK.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1912.

gllm. Mmmm May 25, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lVI. E. CLARK.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.5, I9I2.

Patented. May 25, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

, 4 0 M- 4 4 M5 iA 4 4 n I fum-Bo@ .f @H555 a ff sfratti'.

MERRILL E. CL 5:*

or New noaa, is. Y.

AEBOPLNE.-

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, MERRILL E. CLARK', a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made a new and useful lmprovement in Aeroplanes, of vwhich thev following is a specification accompanied by drawings, forming a part of the same.

The objects of my present invention are, to provide means for varying the axis of the propeller, to provide means for applying a direct lifting force to the machine independently of the motors, to provide yielding or cushioning means for resisting the impact of the machine in alighting, and to provide an improved stabilizer, and I accomplish these results by means of the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the annexed claims. n

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a side view of an aeroplaneembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the machine showing the propeller blades held in a horizontal plane of rotation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of my improved stabilizer and connected operative mechanism, the stabilizer being shown in a collapsed condition. Fig. 5 represents the stabilizer in sectional view and in its extended ,or operative position. Fig. 6 represents the mechanism for applying a lifting force to the aeroplane, shown in sectional view. Fig. 7 represents a central sectional view of the air valve for controlling the compressed air by which the lifting apparatus is actuated, and also by which lthe stabilizer is expanded or collapsed. Fig. 8 is a side view-of the machine with the stabilizer extended. Fig. 9 is a top view of the collapsible framework of the stabilizer, and Fig. 10 is a'detached plan view of the cross bars of the stabilizer.

Similar letters and figures of*v reference refer to similar parts in the different views.

The accompanying drawings represent,

for the purpose of illustrating the character of my present invention, that class of aeroplanes known as a biplane, in which 1 is the upper planeand 2 the lower plane. Mounted upon the framework of the machine is the usual alighting gear and tail, or other 'guiding means, which maybe of any suitable form of construction. Supported upon the framework is a motor 3 connected` by gears 4 with propeller shafts 5, l, journaled in a framework 6 capable of swinging loosely about a motor shaft 7. l

In Fig. 1 the propeller shafts 5 are represented in a horizontal position, bringing their propeller blades 8 in position to forcev the machine horizontally forward. Connected 4with the framework 6 in which the propeller shafts are journaled, is an arm 9 connected by a link 10 with a .hand lever 11, by which the frame carrying the propeller shafts may be swung around the axis of the motor shaft 7 to bring the blades 8 into a horizontal plane beneath the lower plane 2. In this position the revolution of the propel- 1ers will impart an upward or lifting 'force tothe machine. The machine is providedv .Specioation of Lettera Patent. i i Patented May 25,191.5.. l application mea aug-ust s, ma. 'serial so, naam. l

with atank 12 which is charged withcom- Y pressed air to be used for the purpose of actuating the lifting and stabilizing mechanisms as hereinafter described.

Supported in the framework is a -com- .pressed air cylinder 13,' shown on a larger scale in sectional view in Fig. 6. The cylinder 13 is closed at both ends vand is equipped with a piston 14; having a piston rod 15 extending through the lower closed end of the cylinder, and carrying at its lower end a spider 16 comprising arms upon which are mounted the rollers Y17. Communicating with the upper end of the cylinder 13 is a pipe 18, and communicating with the lower end of the cylinder 13 isa pipe 19. The pipe 18 has a valve controlled connection with a pipe 20 which leads to the compressed air tank 12. By means of a rotating valve 21 which maybe operated by a'handle 22 or in any convenient manner, compressed air is admitted through the pipe 18 above the piston 14.

ln the normal position of the apparatus the piston 14 is at the upper end of the cylinder 13 holding the spider 16 and rollers 17 `in their elevated position-and allowing the machine to be supported upon a running' gear comprising the rolls 23, 23.

, In beginnmg a Hight, with the propeller blades 8 in the position shown in Fig. 3, the

machine is not only lifted by the rotation of ward impulse is given to the piston which reacts to force the machine upward. The construction of the valve 21 is illustrated in Fig. 7. It consists of a rotating spindle 24 having a portion cut away at 25 to form a connecting passage between the pipes 18 and 20 whenthe valve is in the osition shown in Fig. 7. In this position a1r escapes from the lower end of the cylinder 13 through `a passage 26 into a chamber 27 which is open at one end of the spindle 24. By rotating the spindle 24 the pipes 19 and 20 may be connected by the passage 25, the passagep26 closed, and the passage 28 brought into alinement with the pipe 18. When the spider 16 has been forced downward as above described, a charge of compressed air may be maintained above the piston 14, forming an air cushion for the piston 14 as the rollers 17 are brought into contact with the earth by the downward movement of the machine.

In the event of any accident to the machine, such, for example, as would result in the cessation of the motor,lcausing the machine to be precipitated by gravity, I provide a stabilizer or mechanism by which the planes in their downward flight will be maintained by the action ofthe atmosphere in pro er position to causeA the `machine to glide orward, and thereby `maintain to a certain extent the buoyancy which would be produced by the rotation of the propeller blades. Y

My improved stabilizer consists broadly planes of the machine, guiding means which will enable the resistance of the atmosphere to oiiiset any tendency of the machine to rotate in any direction about a horizontal axis, thereby maintaining the machine in an upright position. I accomplish this result by providing the machine with a compressed air cylinder 29 having a hinged connection atv 30 with the upper plane 1. The lower end of the cylinder 29 terminates in a bar 3.1 connected by a link 32 with a hand lever 33, rovided with any usual well known locking mechanism by which it may be locked in any desired position.

The lower end of the cylinder 29 is capable of a sliding movement forward or backward in ways 34 mounted on the framework of the machine. By means of the lever handle 33 a forward or rearward sliding movement may be imparted to the lower end of the cylinder 29 in the ways 34', by which the cylinder 29 is rocked on its pivotal connection 30, and its angle to the plane 1 varied as desired'.

The cylinder 29, which is shown in sectional view and on a larger scale in Fig. 4, incloses a telescopic cylinder 35 having a packing 36 at its lower end in sliding contact with the interior of the cylinder 29.

The telescopic c linder 35 also slides in contact with a pac 37 at the 'upper end of the cylinder 29. gliding withln the telescopic cylinder 35 is a piston 38 having a piston rod 39 extending through a head 40 at the upper end of the cylinder 35, and connected at its upper end to the stabilizing vanes as hereinafter described. The piston rod 39 passes loosely through a hub 41 and is connected at its up er end to a head 42. Extending radially rom the hub 41 and rigidly attached thereto are the four equidistant arms 43. Pivotally connected to theA head 42 are four tubes 44, and pivotally connected to the upper end of the cylinder 29 are four tunes 45. The tubes 44 and 45 correspond to the four radial arm 43. To the outer ends of each of the radial arms 43 are pivoted rods 46 'and 47. The rods 46 .telescope into the tubes 44 and the rods 47 telescope into the tubes 45. Attached to the tubes 44 and 45 and also to the radial arms 43 are silk or canvas vanes 48 which are held in an extended and taut position when the framework connected with the piston rod 39 is held in its extended position, as

represented in Fig. 5.

In the normal position of the stabilizer, as shown in Fig. 4, the piston 38 is at the lower end of the telescoplc cylinder 35, and the cylinder 35 is wholly inclosed within the cylinder 29. When in this position the head 42 will be drawn downward, bringing the hub 41 against the head 40, as shown in Fig.

4. In this position of the head 42 the rods in providing means for erecting above the -v 46 will be pushed into the tubes 44 and the 'rods 47 will be pushed into the tubes 45 and the entire framework will rest in a collapsed position above the upper plane 1.

- Leading from the com ressed air tank 12 is a pipe 49 having a va ve controlled commumcation with the pipes 50 and 51 leading to the lower and upper ends respectively of the cylinder 29. The valve 52 by which the passa from the com ressed air tank to the cylin er 29 is contro ed, is a duplicate of the valve 21 illustrated in sectional view in 7. The valve 52 is provided with a raarm 53 connected by a link 54 with abell crank 55 which is connected by a link 56 with a foot lever 57 pivotally supported in a convenient position to be reached by the foot of the aviator.

- terrupted by the stops 58 in the cylinder 29,

the plston 38 continuing its movement until stopped by the head 40.. The overlapping of the cyllnders 29 and 35 which is secured by the stops 58 servesto hold the two cylinnreaeee ders in rigid relation to each other. The u ward movement oi the piston 38 carries t e head 42 toits highest position expanding the telescopic framework, and holding the silk or canvas venes in a taut position and in planes at right angles to each other. A reversal of the valve 52 admits compressed air through the pipe 51 to the upper end of the cylin er 29 forcing the telescopic cylinder 35 downward to its lowest point at which it admits compressed air through an opening to the interior of the cylinder and above the piston 38, causing the latter to be forced downward and bringing the telescopic framework into its collapsed position,` as shown in Fig. 4. 1When the stabilizer is in its operative position, as shown in Fig. 5, its axis may be brought into a true vertical osition relative to the planes of the machine by the movement of its lower end in the ways 34C and locked in any desired 'position by any suitable locking mechanism connected with the lever handle 33.

I claim,

1. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a framework, a series of vanes mounted in intersecting planes, means for supporting the vanes above the framework, and means for varying the elevation of the vanes in a line coincident with their am's of intersection.

2. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a

series of vanes located in intersecting planes having substantially a vertical axis of intersection, and means. for lowering said vanes lin a line coincident with their axis et intersection. y

3. lin an apparatus of the En 1. @Il a framework, a bilizing device. aove said framework, comprisin a series of venes in intersecting'planes wit substantially a vertical axis of intersection', means for raising and lowering said vanes in a line"coincident with their am's of intersection, and ff@- for collapsing said ves by their downward movement and expanding them by their upward movement.

t. lin an. apparatus of th f. pecied, a stabilizer disposed above the framework of the apparatus, and means for rai' lowerlng said stabilizer, comprising a "louble acting cylinder, a second cgrh'nder telescopi.-l cally mounted within said st cylinder, and a plston within said second cylinder having an operative connection with the stabilizer, and means for admitting a iuid under ressure above and below sald piston at wi 5. lln an apparatus of the kind specified, a piston equiped cylinder hinged at its upper end to the mework of the machine, a stabilizer supported upon the piston rod and comprising a series of vanes mounted in intersecting planes, and means for moving said cylinder on its hinged connection.

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